Shift happens. We don’t often know how or when, and this is where trust comes in. On a physical level, our bodies are constantly shifting, shedding, and healing. Our relationships too, are in a constant ebb and flow. Even when we broaden our focus to the macro, we see that nature reflects this truth for us as well. The seasons change, the animals grow and lose their fur coats, the trees drop and regrow their leaves – everything is in constant flux and the only thing that is truly real, is this moment right now.

Shift is the only constant, and even if you are not an astrology buff; we have experienced some BIG cosmic shifts over the past few weeks that we have all felt one way or another. As this calendar year came to a close and a new one began, Saturn shifted into Capricorn, Mercury moved out of retrograde, Winter Solstice marked the return of the sun and a stunning supermoon kicked off the New Year. Our yoga retreats at this time of year center around healing, restoration, ritual, and care-taking in places like Sierra Hot Springs and Oaxaca. Beginning this year with a supermoon felt like a big, bright reminder for us to take pause, slow down, soak in beauty and make time to rest and connect. A beautiful invitation for us all to consciously take our first few steps into this 2018 with new awareness and little more compassion and love – for ourselves and each other. So how do we do this ?

Instead of setting New Year’s resolutions or drafting a list of goals, this year I have tried a more integrative and organic approach to creating this shift. I decided to focus on a few simple practices to help cultivate more of all of the above in my life.

Here are 3 supermoon inspired practices for 2018 that I invite you to play with this year as we walk this road of growth and healing together.

1. Moon Rituals: Reconnecting with the moon cycle can be a helpful way for us to work a time of regular reflection into our lives. A beautiful opportunity for this is our Kundalini Women of the Moon Yoga Retreat. Even just getting familiar with the moon cycle itself can bring an increased sense of groundedness and peace. Often times, we are “feeling” the moon’s powerful energy whether we realize it or not, so simply just tuning in and looking up for even 5 minutes a night can be a great first step. Rituals can be fun, playful and an opportunity for you to tap into your creative energy. Whether you choose to gather with a group of friends, or take this time for solitude – creating a ritual to help bring you into the present and connect with the cosmos can be a profoundly unifying experience. Mark the new and/or full moons on your calendar and decide which one you would like to create your ritual for. New moon ceremonies traditionally focus around creating/birthing and full moon ceremonies often have releasing as a central theme. Once you know your date, choose a time – 30-60 mins is a nice place to start. Next, select a quiet space (inside or outside) and create a ritual flow that speaks to you. Tip: start simple and allow yourself to be guided by your own inner guru! Ritual practices you might want to play with are silence, meditation, conscious breathing, song/mantra, movement (shaking, dance, yoga), journaling, oracle cards and creating sacred space with candles, crystals and herbs. Here are some links on general rituals,new moon and full moonceremonies to help guide you through the process and give you some ideas.

2. Alter Space: Choosing a place in your home, where you can create an alter to help anchor you and be a visual reminder of what you want to cultivate more of in your life is a powerful practice. Personally, I like to set my altar facing south, because it reminds me of warmth, light and expansion but truthfully, facing my alter this way also gives me the best view! Alters can be built in all directions, depending on your layout, intentions and vision. Facing your alter North might be to align with a desire for more coolness and clarity, to the East – to honour the rising sun, possibility and wisdom, to the South to cultivate passion and growth and to the West for quiet and contemplation. No matter what direction you decide to face, your altar will be a beautiful spot for you to experience what ‘connects your heart to the larger heart.’ A place where you can start each day, come to meditate, do yoga/dance, journal, reflect and simply BE. So let your creative juices flow! You can pick a colour to guide you, a chakra you want to focus on, or just let your intuition lead the way. Pictures, crystals, special objects, candles, quotes – whatever speaks to your heart. Clickherefor some simple tips to help get you started.

3. Yoga Retreats: Choosing to invest some of our time and money on nourishing ourselves can be a revitalizing way to cultivate more awareness in our lives. Retreats can help guide us deeper within, spark transformation, and give us new tools for honouring the beautiful beings that we are. There are a lot of retreats out there to choose from, depending on what your heart is longing for. Here at YOGASCAPES, you can trust us to take the reigns and provide you with a life changing experience that will take you on a soulful journey – both inside and out. Each one of our yoga retreats are carefully crafted with abundant love and self-care in mind. Take a peak at what we have on offer in 2018, and join us on a one of a kind escape to somewhere that calls to your soul.

Shift Happens. So let’s do it with new awareness, expansive love and deeper compassion for ourselves and each other. Supermoon…thank you for lighting our way into 2018 and we hope to retreat with you this year!